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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-02-28, Page 21 THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013. PAGE 21. 2013 Wedding Showcase Tips to help brides and grooms tackle their vows MS –A wedding is a once-in-a- lifetime event for many couples, so brides and grooms wish for the event to be momentous and memorable. As such, couples are increasingly integrating personal nuances into their ceremonies and receptions to tailor weddings to their unique visions. The desire to include personalized wedding vows continues to be a popular trend. If you are considering personalized wedding vows, first realize that it may not be a simple task. That’s because you want the message conveyed to be dear to your heart and that can be challenging when faced with the pressures and planning of the rest of the wedding. That isn’t to say that writing your own vows is impossible. Here are some guidelines for personalizing your ceremony with your own sentiments. • Schedule time for writing. Amid the bustle of dress fittings and interviews with photographers, it can be easy to put off the important task of writing vows for another day. But as any great writer can attest, it takes writing – and rewriting – to achieve a finished product you can be proud of. Give the task of writing your vows your undivided attention. Mark it in on your calendar or set a reminder on your computer just as you would any other appointment. • Be aware of ceremony guidelines. It is best to check with your officiant and confirm that personalized wedding vows are allowed. During civil ceremonies it’s often acceptable to customize vows as you see fit. However, during religious ceremonies there may be lines of scripture that need to be read or certain passages required. Before you spend hours working on the task, be sure that it is allowed and that your spouse and you are on the same page. • Jot down your feelings. Answer some questions about what marriage means to you and how you feel about your spouse. Try to avoid trite sayings and think from your heart and personal experiences. Think about what is the most important thing you want to promise to your future partner. These notes can serve as the starting points for the actual vows. • Read inspirational writings. Perhaps there is an author or a poet who inspires you? You can quote certain writers in your vows or let the tone of their works help shape the words of your vows. There also are suggested wedding readings and other quotes about marriage readily available at the library or with a quick search online. • Decide on a tone. Although the day is based on love and affection, you may not feel comfortable spouting words of adoration in front of friends and family. Feel free to tap into your unique personality. Humour can be used if it aligns with the way you normally express your affections. Be sure to weave this tone into more traditional passages to create a cohesive expression of your feelings. • Establish an outline. Put together all of the words and phrases you’ve jotted down into an outline to help you organize the flow of the vows, using these words as a blueprint for the vows and building upon them. Make sure the vows will be concise. Aim for your entire speech to be around one minute in length to keep everyone engaged and the ceremony moving along. • Put everything together. Draft your vows and then practise them by reading out loud. You want to avoid long sentences or anything that trips you up. Although large words may sound impressive, they could make the vows seem too academic and not necessarily heartfelt. Enlist the help of a friend or two to act as your audience to see if the vows sound good and are easily understandable. Writing your own vows can be a way to include personal expressions of love into a couple’s wedding day. Public speaking is seldom easy, nor is finding the perfect words to convey feelings about a future spouse. However, with some practice and inspiration, anyone can draft personalized vows. Give Your Wedding the Personalized Wine Make Your Own Wine for... Wedding Meals Guest Favours Wedding Party Gifts Make at home or on our premises. Come in for your consultation. Ltd. 84 Kingston Street, Goderich • 519-524-2323 New Beginnings, NEW APPLIANCES AND MATTRESS          appliances and electronics room to bedroom, we have the From kitchen to family room to laundry  appliances and electronics droom, we have the From kitchen to family room to laundry  complete. to make you  to make your home             More than just ‘I do’ Customized vows have become a popular practice for brides and grooms to really personalize their big day, provided the vows fit into the rules of the ceremony. (MS photo)` MS –The best man toast can be one of the most memorable parts of a couple’s wedding. Sometimes a toast is memorable for its humour and heartfelt sense of appreciation for the groom and his bride, while other toasts are more memorable for all the wrong reasons. One of the reasons best man toasts can be so unpredictable is that giving a best man toast is such a unique experience. It’s something many men never do, while those who do give a best man toast may only do it once in a lifetime. It’s understandable to be nervous when asked to give a best man toast, but there are a few tricks of the trade a best man can employ to calm those nerves and ensure his toast is memorable for all the right reasons. • Practice makes perfect.Few people are capable of standing in front of a crowd of people and speaking off the cuff. A best man should take this into account and practice his speech before the big day. A spur-of-the-moment speech may provide an adrenaline rush, but such an endeavour may come off as if you didn’t care enough to put the effort into writing a thoughtful toast ahead of time. In addition, practicing the toast once it’s been written will make you feel more comfortable and confident in front of the crowd. If possible, practice in front of a friend or family member so you can solicit feedback. A friend or relative might be able to help you fine-tune the speech, which in turn can calm your nerves once you’re handed the microphone. • Get to the point.Men and women who have attended their fair share of wedding receptions no doubt have sat through a long- winded toast from the best man or maid of honour. Such toasts can bring a festive reception to a grinding halt and guests will likely tune out before the best man or maid of honour gets to the point. Being succinct should be a goal for a best man with regard to his toast. Avoid long-winded walks down Memory Lane in favour of a toast that thoughtfully cuts to the chase and lets everyone get back to celebrating. • Spin a yarn.While it’s important to be brief, don’t be so brief that no one at the reception learns about your relationship to the groom. Share a funny anecdote from your mutual past to illustrate the type of relationship you and the groom share with one another. This story should have an element of humour but don’t include anything too embarrassing and all ex-girlfriends should be considered off-limits. • Congratulate the couple. Because nerves play such a significant part in many best man toasts, it can be easy to forget to congratulate both the bride and groom. Don’t just toast the groom at the end of your best man speech; toast his new bride as well. Toasting the couple